All For Peace
by thezootopianadict
Summary: Judy and Nick betrothed king and queen! Not only is Judy separated from her family but now her husband is a complete jerk! but wait, could there be hope for these two? Could love grow where fear reigns? Read for yourself and find out!
1. Chapter 1

Judy looked out at the trees of the new land, they were pine, unlike the oak of her home. She let out a sigh. Those mighty oak she used to climb, those mighty oak of olive green and brown, those mighty oak the sight of she may ever see in the absence of their sight.

Still it wasn't all bad, she had left the halls of Bellwether behind, and soon, was to enter the halls of her betrothed.

Betrothed, what a cursed word. Destroyer of happiness and bearer of misfortune. The word that surpassed all others and whose word was law. It had ruled her before but now doomed her. Now not only was she to wed a male she had yet to meet but the male she had yet to meet was not even her species, not even her same niche. He was a fox, a red one at that, now a prince but was to be crowned alongside her and be bound to her. Aside from his name she knew really knew nothing about him and until she was wed to him, all she'd know about him was that name, Nicholas.

"We have arrived.", the guard told her with a voice scratched by weariness. He a rhino, large even by the standards of his species, donning the green, and yellow of the Zootopian courts on his cloak.

Judy sighed, now only minutes separated her from her marriage.

000

Prince Nicholas stood on a wooden stage assembled on the banks of the moat surrounding the castle. The stage had been set up as an outdoor altar following the tradition of the Merry Lands, every weeded royal pair (save the first) had been married on that stage. While to some it seemed an eccentric tradition, for the royals of the Merry Lands it was the easiest way to leave going as an option and to let anyone participate. While usually seen as the loveliest place for any royal to stand on, for Nick it turned itself into a joke, and he was to be the punchline. In just a few short minutes he was going to be wed, not to the mammal of his choice, but to one someone else chose for him.

Then he heard the crowd shouting as one, "The bride, the bride!", half whooping with laughter. Had he been the king of any other land he might have given the crowd a faux threat of death, but here it would have been futile to do so. Then her carriage rolled up to a stop in front of the stand, she alighted from it, her simple blue dress and grey fur lit by the torches surrounding the stage and street. Nick watched as his mother walked over to the doe, grabbed her wrist and unceremoniously led her to the stage The vixen's eyes aimed a look of hatred upon the doe who followed her, her ears drooped behind her, her eyes struggling to hold back her tears.

After they reached the stage the vixen shoved Judith towards her son, and the ceremony began. As the minister, a skunk by the name of Samuel, asked them for their vows, Judith tried desperately to stifle her tears but eventually failed as they streamed down her face. As she did so Nick looked down on her, unsympathetic towards her plight. By the time the minister pronounced the pair husband and wife Judith's cheeks were drenched in tears. She would have been happy to call it a night then and there but there was more to the festivities she had to partake in.

000

At the wedding feast Judy was seated next to her new husband. She tried to talk to him but he ignored but then told her in a voice that was half of a growl and half of a mutter, a few words directed to her, none were encouraging. "Do me a favor and be quiet.", that was all he said to her, and she obeyed.

Aside from his parents Nick had a single sister, Elizabeth, who was the clear favorite. Her parents gave her most of their attention during the meal, leaving only a fraction for Nick, something that he was very jealous of. He also had a single friend, a small, light brown, temperamental fox by the name of Finick. While he was easily provoked, he was always there when Nick needed him so he usually liked to keep him close. Now however, he wished for him to leave.

"I think you should talk to you wife.", Finick whispered to his friend.

"Why should I?", Nick snapped back at him.

"Well for one she is your wife.", he responded, making Nick roll his eyes. Now Finick was upset, he grabbed the collar of Nick's jacket and pulled him to his face. "You might like to consider that she has been torn from her home and that she has been told to shut up by the very mammal who's supposed to love and protect her."

"You want me to love her?" ", Nick muttered angrily to the smaller fox.

"I want you to at least act like you don't hate her.", Finick told him as he released Nick's collar.

Judy didn't hear anything Finick said, his whispers were too quiet, even for her, but she did notice when Finick grabbed Nick's collar. After the former released the later she looked at him, concerned. Nick glared at his friend before fixing his gaze in front of him. Part of Judy wanted to ask him what happened, but he told her to be quiet and she had no intention of disobeying him, so she didn't. Instead she looked back at her plate.

000

When the meal had finally ended, and the guests had finally retired for the night, it was time for the pair to retire themselves. As Nick led her to their bedchamber he thought about what his friend had said. Was he acting like he hated her? Yeah you are you jerk!, he thought. "Judith,", he started. At the mentioning of her name the bunny silently straightened to attention. "You can talk now." Still she remained silent, rubbing her arms with her paws. "Alright, I order you to say something.", he added, slightly annoyed.

"W-what do you want me to say?", she asked him, backing away slightly.

"I don't know… anything!", he growled.

The fox shouting at her caused her to jump back and fall onto her back before propping herself with her elbows.

Nick mentally kicked himself, 'Wait to go genius,', he imagined Finick yelling at him, 'if she wasn't afraid of you before she sure is now!'

Nick took a step forward, crouched, and placed a paw on the shoulder of the trembling bunny. "Sorry,", he sighed. "I'm being a real jerk here aren't I?" Judy didn't say anything, she simply looked at him, still trembling with fear. "You can say it if you want to."

"I don't.", she told him, finally calming down.

For a few seconds there was silence, then Nick asked, "How about this, if I'm ever do that again I'll do whatever you ask, deal?", he extended the paw that did not rest on her shoulder out towards her.

For a moment, she looked at it dumbly, then she took it an gave it a little shake. "D-deal."

He stood up, still clasping her paw. Then he pulled on her paw, lifting her back onto her feet. "If you ever need anything, feel free to ask."

"T-thank you.", she told him when he let her paw go.

Relieved, Nick continued to lead the rabbit on. As he did so he could not help but hope, hope that someday he could count this rabbit as a friend, that she would forgive him for his actions, that she wouldn't be afraid of him, that he would have made it up to her. For now, he thought to himself, you'd better act like her friend.

* * *

 **First chapter of a new series. Sorry it's a little short, I was having problems with writing a beginning. Weird, I know exactly where I'm going but I couldn't figure out to start it. Anyway, can't wait for things to come. Later chapters are going to get a little… awkward. See you next week for ch.2.**


	2. Chapter 2

Her lids opened, revealing the amethyst spheres beneath. She rose, sitting up on her new bed, covered in the sheets of linen. A distance beside her lay her lord, his breathing slow, gentle, calm. From what she knew, the opposite of him awake. She hoped there was more to him then that, that she had simply stepped on the wrong paw and he would be nicer if she stayed off it long enough.

At least staying off of his side off the bed would be easy enough. The bed was of immense size for her as well as for her husband. She wanted to ask about it but she did not wish to step back on his paw, to make him cold again.

After getting herself to the ground she walked to the small wardrobe placed to the side of the room. She was surprised to find the relative lack of wealth in the clothes. As a handmaiden for Bellwether she had seen the lamb wear many cloths of great cost. In the wardrobe the dresses were mainly of blue, green, and white, colors she had seen being worn by many of the mammals at her wedding. There was also a few dresses of a course, cheap thread. No doubt to be used in some form of work. She had heard that the castle of the Merry Lands used fewer servants than those of many others. Seeing no immediate use for the course dress, he pulled out a small, sleeveless dress of blue and pulled it over herself. After doing so she walked out to the door and into the hall.

The halls were empty, the sun having yet to rise. The halls had only enough for light her to make her way. Every now and then she would pass a room where she could hear someone stirring within. Not that she would stop to listen, the lessons taught to her from her time in the halls of the bell still learned. It was not until the sun had risen in the sky and her belly grumbled for want of food that she began to walk with purpose, stopping to ask for the way.

The mammal she stopped was a pig, he was large around his waist, wearing a cloak of wool dyed red with black florals. He told her to follow him. All the servants and royals ate in the great hall for all meals at all times. As he led her to the hall the swine asked what she thought of the king. She told him that so far, she really knew nothing. When she said this the pig mumbled something inaudible even for her.

After a few seconds of her silence the pig explained, "Sorry, he always keeps to himself. we were hoping you might have learned something about him. Though, seeing how you looked at the feast last night, I shouldn't have been surprised." There was nothing else for her to add so she only nodded.

After making it to the hall he stopped, pointing to the table where she was to take her place at. Judy curtsied, thanking the pig, and walked over to the table. Like all the other tables in the halls, long, tall and wide. Already seated around it there was her husband, his family, his friend, as well as a number of other mammals and two empty seats.

The orange lids of the fox parted, a physical confirmation of his mind being pulled out of the realm of sleep. He immediately slid out of bed and brought himself to his wardrobe, opposite her's. Within he had cloths of green like the Merry Mammals of days past, blue from the dye of a plant abundant in the land, and black of some undyed wool. After picking an outfit of green embroidered with a black floral around the edge.

After dressing he walked to the hall, slowing down to wait for Finick, before continuing on his way.

"Did you do what I told you?", the smaller fox asked with a yawn.

"Yes dad.", Nick answered him

"Hey, just because you said, 'I'm sorry', doesn't mean you're done apologizing."

If Finick's words were short their effect was long felt by his friend. While Nick wished to argue but he saw no point, his friend was right and carrying it further would only further prove his friend correct. Instead he would have to work away this need of his friend to inform him of his faults.

000

"So, what were you doing this morning?", Nick asked the bunny that (somehow) managed to climb the seat beside him.

She did not answer for a few moments, a result of the weak female rabbit idealized by her land making her climb up her seat all the more difficult. "I, was *huff* walking around."

It was then that the chef entered the halls and requested volunteers to carry his food to the tables. He was a cheetah, large both with his girth and the smile he bore. After the food had been carried to each of the tables and those who carried the food had seated back down it was time to eat. The cheetah sat down in the second empty seat at the table..

One mammal, the fox that only yesterday had been the queen, spoke up. "Clawhouser, if this food looks half as good as it looks, we're all in for a bad case of food poisoning."

After the table got over its laughing fit, partaken in by all but the rabbit who tried to hide her giggles, it settled into a silence kept by placement of food in the mouths of the otherwise chatty talkers. When the food was gone, so was the king and the queen, neither having much interest in the conversations that were soon to follow.

Neither took much note of the other's presence and as soon as they had passed through the doors of the hall they began to walk off on their own paths, one formed by class and duty, the other by her newly unhindered curiosity.

It was that curiosity that eventually led her to the castle's garden. It was not like the gardens of many other lands in that it was open, placed beyond the limits of the masons' craft, protected only by the sense one mammal may feel that reminds them that there would be one to come later who may also wish to admire the sights they may see now. Eventually she ran out of corners to explore and took to finding her way through the maze of the castle's halls.

000

An enthusiastic call ran through the halls, "Lunch time!"

The distraction was well met. For Nick his whole morning had been spent in long, dull meetings of state matters. He had paid attention, not being his parent's first pick for ruler gave him a need to prove himself as king and he wasn't planning on letting any chance pass him by. But keeping up with those chances left him drained and in need of rest.

After reaching and climbing his seat he settled into a discussion with Finick over the matters of their stately meetings. Nick was always relieved to have his friend by his side. While the smaller fox was prone to episodes fueled by anger, he had a heart and was not one to abandon his friend.

After they finished off their food and the larger fox turned to leave Finick stopped him saying, "Where'd your wife go?"

Nick looked to her chair which notably lacked the ball of grey that had sat upon it that morning. Nick shrugged.

As he turned back towards his friend the smaller fox continued, "Don't you think you should look for her?"

Nick lifted his arms in response. "Maybe she didn't want lunch. Hey, alright! ", the last statement came after Finick's eyes slung daggers towards him, "When I get the chance i'll look for her alright?"

To this the Finnick said nothing, but dropped to continue on the pairs' work. This work kept both of them busy all afternoon and it was not until it was time for supper that Nick got the chance to wander.

His search was broad, covering the halls and chambers he deemed likely to hide her. He searched in the laundry room which he knew had not seen use today, in the dungeon which, having been replaced by more humane structures, never saw use, and even in the garden beyond the walls. There were of course a number chambers he knew she would not have ventured in. The library with its vast array of ancient books seemed unsuited for an illiterate bunny, so too had he ballroom and training ground for the activities done were not partaken in by the likes of her. Despite his best efforts he saw her not, and left with only one room to search, he went to check. Opening its door, he threw the contents of his pockets onto the small table placed next the door then, closing the door behind him, pulled his jacket of his shoulders. Then, putting it away, he called out to her asking her to show herself. He received no response, she was not there.

000

In his bed, reaching into the space between the mattress and headboard, he lifted up a small sandwich of sugar cane and wood decorated with the ink of charcoal. He opened up the book to the index, searching for a section to inform and comfort him. After finding the page he turned to it and saw thusly:

"There is only two letters separating male and female. In everything else, we are equal." "As a husband I'll protect her when she needs it and she'll do the same for me when I need it." "The decision of a mate should not be made in the name of necessity but rather should in the name of love." "Personally, I hate the idea of betrothal. If i could i'd end it right here, right now. But if any of my descendants were to be involved in it I hope they would treat their other with kindness."

While there was far more, after reading the last there was no need for him to go further. He closed the book and set it back in its hiding place. After doing so he rubbed his eyes and groaned. Even as a kit Robin had been his hero, and he wished to emulate the former bandit. By his treatment of his wife he had failed in this goal, if he kept this up he stood no chance to be like him. Eventually his lids, weighed down by drowsiness, shut and his mind was transported to the land of sleep.

* * *

 **Hmm, what do you think of the book in the bed? (BTW- that's not all he hides in there)**

 **Thanks for your support and I'll see you next week for chapter third.**


	3. Chapter 3

Nick's second day as king started very much like the first, a transition from bed to hall to seat before he began his duties. Or duty as it turned out.

"He's coming when!?"

The servant promptly responded, unfazed by the king's expression of panic, "In an hour. I'd suggest you get yourself ready."

In his room Nick threw on the crown of the Merry Lands. It was a simple ring of golden vines, no thicker than knife's edge, weighing little more than a woolen coat. After doing so he hurried to the throne room, a relatively simple matter compared to the likes of neighboring lands. On the walls were windows of glass left untouched from the reign of John's ancestors, beside each window hung a drape of white placed there after the old ones of purple had been cut up and sold. On the walls were shafts of wood, replacing the gold that hung there decades before, holding torches left unlit. On the floor was a simple rug of blue wool, an addition of years past. On one side of the room there was a set of wooden seats for visitors to sit on as they waited for their turn. On the other stood two thrones of wood with gold coating the armrests, the gold having once adorned some portion of John's throne.

It was on one of these thrones that Nick sat himself on, and almost as soon as he did so his visitor arrived.

His name was Malachi Pantera a panther with dark fur dark as coal. On his fingers he wore several rings of gold studded with diamond shards. Draped over his shoulders was a cape of red, beneath it was a robe of red embroidered with gold thread. On his face he wore a look of disdain aimed at the room's modest decor.

"You couldn't have given us earlier warning?", Nick asked the panther, wondering what response he'd get.

"I thought that you'd have no need for preparing, seeing as you dress so."

"Please stop, you're being rather rude.", Nick informed him.

The cat's face twisted with frustration. "You're a pauper next to me! You and your land are a barbarous, lot! If that bunny of yours…"

"Why are you here?", Nick asked, raising his voice and deepening his tone.

Malachi's paw rubbed his chin, recalling the purpose of his visit. "Oh,", he began, "Lionheart wanted me to ask if he could have a dignitary here."

Nick sighed, "Who does he have in mind?"

"Daniel Mark DeClark.", the panther answered.

Daniel Mark DeClark, Daniel Mark DeClark, the name repeated itself in Nick's mind. He didn't want to provide the mammal access, but he had to. If he denied the mammal access he would risk war with Lionheart. Instead he needed to find a legal way to keep him in line. To find it he had gone to the castle's library, a lightly used room largely replaced by ones beyond the walls, but still containing all the necessary documents. He slowly walked past the rows of shelves, paw outstretched, ready to grab the book he searched for.

Where is it, he thought, I swear it was here just… His thoughts were interrupted when his foot hit something, on the ground. The object yelped in pain as he fell.

He hit the ground and looked back at who he tripped on. "Judy!?", he asked in a tone heightened by his surprise, "What are you doing here!? Wait, you can read!?", he asked pointing to the book she had opened in front of her.

"Y-yes, is that a problem?", she asked, her tone wavering in the fear that she had broken some unwritten rule.

"No!", he quickly answered as he rose to his feet. "No it's great. I'm just surprised that's all. Who taught you?"

"I taught myself.", she said, relieved with his approval.

Nick smiled at her, amazed that she had done so. "Wait, isn't this the charter?", he asked looking down at the book she read. She nodded. "I need to know what I could do about a troublesome visitor."

"I believe you can give him an escort if it's necessary."

"Huh.", Nick said, surprised that she would recall this so quickly. "You sure?" she nodded once again. "Well…", he began blinking dumbly, "thanks."

"Happy to help.", she told him with a huge smile parting her lips.

"Say,", Nick began, "how long have you been in here?"

"Umm, since yesterday, why?"

"No reason, you just made me nervous, I thought something happened to you."

At this Judy's smile quickly faded.

"Well,", he began again, trying to make her smile again, "seeing that I have some spare time, would you like to play some chess?"

"I don't know how to play that."

Nick smiled, "Guess I'll just have to teach you."

.

"I can't believe they chose him.", Grim said after Nick explained the situation to him. He was a bunny, fur dark as night, wearing a cloak of similar darkness. His eyes carried a near eternal scowl, his belt a short sword of iron.

Nick nodded, agreeing with his friend, "That's why I need you two."

Sam, a skunk who wore a suit of green spoke up, "Don't worry, we'll watch him. When's he coming?"

Nick smiled as he spoke, relieved that the pair would have it covered. "Later today, I'd suggest you wait in the courtyard until then."

Evening came, and saw the sight of a familiar red fox in search of his last task for the day. He went to the spot he saw her last and found her there, laying on her stomach and reading as she had before.

"Ahem!", the sound startled her, causing her to jump and quickly fix her gaze on him. "Time for dinner Miss Wilde.", he said, extending a paw towards her.

Her body relaxed and she smiled at him. "Thank you.", she told him, taking his paw.

"Hey you are my wife,", Nick told her as he pulled her up by her paw, "and it is my job to protect you from whatever it is that threatens you. Or whoever it who's scaring you." She looked at him in surprise. "You'll learn miss Wilde, I am very good at reading other mammals.", Nick said, answering the unasked question. "And seeing that you're such a clever bunny, you'll have a lot of time to learn that."

"Well, I don't know about that…", she began.

"Don't know about that!?", Nick asked loudly, a grin on his face, "Coming from the one who beat Merry Land's chess champion in her first game!"

Judy looked up at him, expecting some subtle sign of sarcasm. She found none, only his eyes looking at her in admiration. "Thank you."

Nick looked away from her, tuning his gaze in front of him, a smile on his snout. "You're welcome."

* * *

 **Hmm, could there be hope for these two yet? Find out after these commercial messages**


	4. Chapter 4

_Four days later_

The Merry Weather pub was a popular point of meeting for the two fox friends which was little surprise. Unlike the other few pubs in town Merry Weather was large and capacious, at the times in which others would be crowded with loyal patrons Merry was not. This solitude was what the two often sought for matters that they wished to be discussed if not in private, at least in relative quiet.

"Good work Mr. Wilde,", Finnick began the discussion he had brought his friend over to have, "now at least she isn't deathly afraid of you."

Nick took a sip from his drink and then spoke with his tankard held before his lips. "What am I doing wrong this time?"

The smaller fox smirked at him, "Nothing, yet, but I'd like you to get her out of her shell."

Nick gave his friend a look, "Her shell?"

Finnick turned to the mammal behind the counter. The mammal looked at them, a smile on her face, "Little Mr. Worry-wort here told me everything. From what I've heard I think you should do something to make her trust..."

A loud bang interrupted her, around Nick's paw the yellow froth of his drink collected, "And how do you think I'm supposed to do that?"

Honey shrugged her badger shoulders, "Hey, you're the husband here, I don't know a thing about her. You on the other paw..."

Nick pointed a finger in the air, a sign for her to stop. Once he was sure that she was silent he finished her sentence, replacing the intended message with one of his own, "...know almost nothing about her."

Honey gave him a questioning look, "Nothing?"

Nick's eyes rolled, "Aside from the fact that she likes to read, nothing."

"Well there you go, talk about the books she reads."

"Why? It's not like... Gak!"

Nick's cry of panic came after Honey had grabbed him by his shirt. Caught off guard he could only look at her in terror as she effortlessly suspended him over his bench.

"You married her and whether you like it or not she is going to live with you forever so I'd suggest that you get talking to her, understand?", her words were unusually sharp and rough. With the furry before him Nick's vocabulary shrunk to only a handful of unintelligent mutters. Satisfied, she dropped him on the floor to let him continue his murmurings on his knees.

Several seconds had passed before his speech returned. By that time Honey had left that spot on the counter and moved to another in order to serve another patron.

Taking a minute to take in a breath he rose.

"You OK?", Finnick had remained seated through the whole scene between the two friends.

"Well my pants are still dry so I think so." He sat back down on his seat and took a sip from his tankard.

"If I were I'd get to obeying that order."

"Yeah I gue... wait a minute!", he pointed a claw at the desert fox, "You planned the whole thing didn't you?!"

Finnick gave him a smirk and a shrug, "Well it was a combined effort but yeah, how'd you know?"

"Because I can't remember the last time she did that!"

"Hey! We needed to get the message delivered somehow, and we figured physical force would be needed 'till that big heart of yours sees just how much pain she's in."

Nick said nothing, he knew his friend was right, again. "Why am I always the dumb fox?"

"You're not,", there was a short pause, "usually, but you're hopeless when it comes to family."

"True, true, I'm going home."

"Wait!", Finnick rose his drink to his lips and swallowed its contents down. "I'm *b-b-u-urp!* following you, to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

"Fair enough, come on."

* * *

 **Sorry that this chapter is so short, I had a week of finals and then a day of writer's block.**

 **Anyway hope you are enjoying the series, sorry I haven't been updating it in a while, I had a plot hole in my original idea and then I kinda gave up on the story. Well now I have ideas for it so I should be making regular updates to the story.**

 **Please tell me what you think, it really means a lot to me.**

 **Final thing, Merry Christmas!**


	5. Chapter 5 v3 (Arrg!)

_The Following Morning_

Nick left the throne in the paws of Finnick, leaving it held by one who was sorry yet was not for what he had done. As he walked he let his thoughts overtake his steady pace. Within his skull surounding his emotions there was a voice, one that always seemed to loom large yet today seemed small. as it was this voice was quieted in fear, so much so that it had called on one of the smaller voices for help. This voice was much softer in tone and kindlier in spirit, this was the voice that once held the most reign back in the days of old, this was the voice that had driven him through childhood and his early teens. This voice cried for her, even when locked in his subconcious it cried for her pain. It was not a voice forced on by storng emotion but was one that came pure, one that he could not lose no matter what he did. It was this voice that held control as he walked to the her, it was this voice that wished to see her smile, this voice that condemned the actions of the other.

000

Upon entering the library Nick stopped and listened. While the great door's aging hinges creaked and groaned he thought he'd heard something, a noise so soft few would take note of it. Then it came again, a cough, from a distance it was faint but form the sound it was clear that it was violent. Nick tunred to face the dirrection as a sudden fit of coughing rolled through. With a general fix on her position nikc tore through the rows of shelves and swung sharply around the corners.

She had set herself squarly in the corner of the room immediatly before the convergence of two great shelves. In her paws she held a small peice of fabric which she pressed against her nose as she blew with all her might. When she eventualy pulled it away he saw that her once pink nose blazed with red and in some places even bled.

Seeing how much her hankie hurt the tiny voice rose its voice in a maner most unlike its usual, quiet nature. Nick's paw found itslef forced deep into his pocket and gripping a tiny square of silken thread. This square was what he had to blow and if she was going to keep from bleeding out was best the one she used. With it in paw Nikc bent down to set it on her lap. Seeing his paw suddenly before her she took note of his presence and stared at the white sheet pinched in his paw. Now with a favor set up the small voice returned to its usual tone and lighty told his togue and paw what to do. "Here,", he said with a tone almost as friendly as the smaller voice's, "it'll be softer on you're nose."

Judy looked at the white sheet and cuatiously rose her paw but sneezed before she could grab it. She quickly apologized, a small stream of snot making her voice sound off. Nick extended both paws towards her, one to stop her paw from grabbing her old hankie, the other to wipe her face. That done he set it on her lap and removed both paws. Surprised by this she took the hankie and blew what little remained into it.

The sight of her comfort made the smaller stop and to look at her, pleased with what it had done. While it stood destracted the larger voice grabbed it with its iron claw and flung it back into the prison of Nick's subconcious. Now free of the meddling voice it turned to look at the bunny before its domain. The coldness before had been its doing, the attempts to calm her were that of the smaller. Thinking of it the voice grumbled and groaned, that one voice had always been trouble. In the time when the larger formed the smaller more-or-less ruled the mind of he. It was not much of a ruler, most of the time beong a quiet, controlled voice that lost footing only to the fury of anger. Nothing it seemed could destroy nor weaken it, no matter how hard the larger pushed on the latch of the subconcious something always came to flick it open. On her first day it had been Finnick's words, an escape that proved short lived. But just then, right when it had used the smaller it had almost lost its rule. It had to do something to fill in its apperant weakness, something that drove the smaller away. But before it did it had to do something with her, if the smaller saw her in pain it would most certainly escape again. Then the solution to both appeared and the voice's worry gave in to delight.

Nick rose his expresion blank, "I'm going out you,", he pointed to her, "you get to bed." After he said this he turned and left.

000

"Nick? What are you doing here?!"

the larger knew that the smaller hated drink, at least to much of it. If the larger could get down enough to render him all but spent it would find the strenght to fight back the smaller's assult. Unfortunitly for it, Merry Whether was the only pub Nick ever stepped foot in, a fact that threw everything it had planned out into the wind. "Um, well I...", he paused for a mintue to rub his head the large voice having all but given up, "She was sick so I sent her to bed and came here for a drink."

Honey's eyes opened wide so that the white hsone briliantly above her snout. Then they closed until they were barly slits, she climbed onto the counter and pounced on him, "Nick you go out there and comfort her or I will never welcome you to my pub again! Understand?!"

Faced with the fury now pinning him against the ground Nick could only nodd in terror. Inside the larger quit and now quieted let the smaller free.

Honey rose, lifted him off the floor, and set him back on his feet. Then she took in a breath and spoke in a much calmer, freindlier tone, "Good, now go."

000

Later when Nick's wits had returned to him he found himself before the door of their room, clueless as to how he got there. Trying to remember what happened he down to find that he was holding a small tray with carrots and berries: foods he'd seen her enjoy. This tray he set beside the door to silently crack the door open. Once he was inside the room he made his way to the great couch against the wall to set his tray on the table before it. Once he had done so he stopped and took in the room. To his surprise the curtians were still drawn and the room was covered with the sun's golden rays. On the bed he heard her rustling, reacting to something she saw within her dream. Nick started towards her but then abruptly stopped.

Sniffing the air he caught her scent not from the bed but from her... wardrobe? Curious he stepped to it and carefully opened its door. To his surprise he found the dress he had just seen her in as well as every other dress she had worn. Running his head along them he found that all of them bore her scent, a sign that all had not been cleaned. Then one caught his eye. Sliding all the other dresses aside he found back he found a number of tears and brown stains around the waist of the dress she had won on her first day of castle life. Running his paw over the stains he mumbled his thoughts aloud, "She was... bleeding?", looking closer he saw that there were two tears on the front and three on the side, "Someone... attacked her? Who?" He rubbed his forehead unable to think of anyone likely to have done it. He sighed, "It's my fault. She's afraid of me. When... whoever it was did that she had no one to turn to."

Nick closed the wooden peice and turned to face her bed. Reaching it he reached his paws under the sheets to grab the mattress itself. Then, using the bed's frame to support his knee and then his foot, he climbed up onto the it. Now safely on her bed Nick looked at her sleeping frame. In her sleep her ears jerked this way and that seemingly trying to swat away an invisible set of flys. Before her her paws went out and bent in sync as if cuffs tied them at the wrists. Looking further down her body Nick caught sight of the brown book he saw set beside her on the library's floor not to long ago. Again curious he moved a paw to grab it quickly pulled it back when she curled herself into a protective ball. His eyes now back on her he watched as her paws which still looked as if they had been cuffed moved to protect her face. Lower down her legs bent util they were just below her chin. Still watching he saw her shake violently, her fists clenching, her body tensing as if in some kind of pain. Then it happened again, and again, and again. Her eyes still shut cried from the pain her dream self felt. Acting on the command of the small voice Nick's left paw rose to rest on her head. There he gently rubbed the side of her head and slid himself to lay before her. When she seemd sufficiantly calm he moved his right to rub her side and waist. Slowly her heart stopped its frantic pace and she settled into a more restful dream.

Now that she was calm Nick removed his paws and slid back off the bed. The larger would have asked him to leave, to rule his land but it was not in control, now the smaller took him to the drapes and had him unwind their chords. One by one he made them close, slowly the room became absorbed by shadow. With all the curtains down he returned to her and lay down before her. Wanting to see that the dream she had did not return he replaced his right on her side and gently rubbed. As he rubbed her the feeling of guilt came over him. Slowly he rose and leaned over her and softly whispered into her ears, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I know I've been a jerk but just...", he sighed, " _Please_ , give me another chance." There was no answer. Sighing he removed his paw and turned back to face the wall. _Who am I kidding? Forgive me? Who would? I wouldn't._ Nick didn't know where his tail was until he felt some thing wrap itself around it. Turning back he saw that she was hugging his tail against her chest. Smiling with a sense of some relief Nick again replaced his paw on her side and slid his tail beneath her snout. _Then again, maybe she will._

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 **OK, that's chapter three. Sorry this took a while, I litteraly wrote three different versions of this before I got this and felt happy with it. Anyway, hope you liked it, please review I would love to hear what you have to say.**

 **Personally I feel it's in need of some polishing, but I'll see what you think. If you have some polish please say so in the review box below.**


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